It wasn't that long ago that Liz Cheney was a rising star in the Republican Party, basically royalty in the conservative world. She had the name, the voting record, and a seat at the leadership table. Then came January 6th. Honestly, if you look back at the timeline, that single day flipped a switch that turned a standard political alliance into one of the most bitter, personal feuds in modern American history.
Donald Trump hasn't exactly been quiet about his feelings toward her. He's called her everything from a "RINO" to a "radical war hawk." But what most people get wrong is thinking this was just a simple disagreement over a single event. It was actually a fundamental clash over who owns the Republican brand.
Trump's rhetoric about Liz Cheney often hits a fever pitch when he talks about her foreign policy or her role in the January 6th Committee. He’s portrayed her as the face of the "old guard" that he came to Washington to replace. For her part, Cheney hasn't blinked. She basically staked her entire career on the idea that Trump is a unique threat to the Constitution. It’s a high-stakes gamble that, so far, has cost her a seat in Congress but made her a central figure in the national conversation.
The Turning Point: Why Trump Flipped on Cheney
For the first few years of the Trump administration, Liz Cheney was actually a pretty reliable ally. She voted with his position about 93% of the time. That’s a lot. She supported the tax cuts, the judicial appointments—the whole nine yards. But the relationship started to fray during the 2020 election cycle, and it completely snapped after the Capitol riot.
Trump's main beef with Cheney isn't just that she disagreed with him; it's that she became the most vocal Republican leader to lead the charge against him. He’s often pointed out that she’s the daughter of Dick Cheney, whom he frequently mocks as a "warmonger." By tying Liz to her father’s legacy in Iraq and Afghanistan, Trump effectively used her as a foil to promote his "America First" agenda.
The "Nine Barrels" Comment
In late 2024, things got particularly dark. During an interview with Tucker Carlson in Arizona, Trump made a comment that set the internet on fire. He called Cheney a "radical war hawk" and said, "Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face."
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His supporters argued he was making a point about how easy it is for politicians to send others to war when they aren't the ones in the line of fire. His critics, including Cheney herself, saw it as a literal death threat. "This is how dictators destroy free nations," she shot back on X. It was a classic "Rorschach test" moment in American politics where everyone saw exactly what they wanted to see.
How the GOP Leadership Ousted Her
You’ve probably seen the headlines about Cheney losing her leadership post, but the internal mechanics were actually pretty brutal. It wasn't just Trump's tweets that did it; it was a coordinated effort within the House Republican Conference.
- The Initial Vote: In early 2021, Cheney survived an initial attempt to remove her as Conference Chair. She actually won that secret ballot.
- The Escalation: She didn't tone down her criticism. If anything, she got louder. She kept talking about the "Big Lie" and the danger of Trump’s rhetoric.
- The Final Blow: By May 2021, the party had enough. They held a voice vote—no secret ballot this time—and she was out. Elise Stefanik, who had become a staunch Trump defender, took her place.
This wasn't just a personnel change. It was a signal that the party was moving in a direction where loyalty to Trump was the baseline requirement for leadership. Cheney’s ouster was the moment the "Never Trump" wing of the party officially lost its seat at the table.
The Wyoming Primary: A Landslide Defeat
If you want to see the "Trump effect" in numbers, look at Wyoming. In 2022, Trump endorsed Harriet Hageman to challenge Cheney. Wyoming is deep red, and the voters there were not happy with their representative spending all her time on the January 6th Committee.
Cheney didn't just lose; she got crushed. Hageman won by nearly 40 points. It was a clear message: in the heart of MAGA country, being a "principled conservative" doesn't matter much if you're actively trying to take down the head of the party. Trump celebrated it as a massive victory, calling it a "wonderful result for America."
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The January 6th Committee Legacy
Even though she lost her seat, Cheney’s work on the committee is what Trump seems to hate the most. He’s repeatedly called the committee a "unselect committee of political hacks and thugs." He claims they destroyed evidence and ignored the "real" story of the day.
Cheney, as the Vice Chair, was often the one presenting the most damaging testimony. She focused on Trump’s inaction during the 187 minutes of the riot. That specific focus—the idea that he sat and watched it happen on TV—is something that clearly gets under his skin.
What’s Happening Now in 2026?
As we head into the 2026 midterms, the feud hasn't cooled down. Trump is back in the White House, and Cheney is effectively a woman without a party. There was even talk about Joe Biden issuing her a "pre-emptive pardon" before he left office because Trump had suggested she should face military tribunals for her actions on the committee.
Cheney has stayed active, though. She’s been popping up on news programs and at university events, basically acting as a shadow leader for the "traditional" GOP. She’s been warning that the "fracturing" of the MAGA movement is inevitable. Honestly, whether she’s right or not is still up in the air, but she’s definitely not going away quietly.
Why This Matters for You
You might be wondering why you should care about two politicians who clearly can't stand each other. It’s because this rivalry is the blueprint for the future of American politics. It’s not about policy anymore—they actually agree on most policies like taxes and deregulation. It’s about the process and the institutions.
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- Party Identity: If you’re a Republican, you have to decide if the party is about a specific set of ideas or a specific person.
- Accountability: The feud raises questions about how much we should look into the past versus focusing on the future.
- Rhetoric: The way Trump speaks about Cheney—and vice versa—has changed the "rules" of political engagement. We're in an era where "traitor" is a common label for someone on your own side.
Moving Forward: Actionable Insights
If you’re trying to navigate this landscape, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Look past the clips. When Trump makes a comment about Cheney, or she makes one about him, go find the full transcript. Context usually changes the "vibe" of the comment significantly.
Follow the primary races. In the 2026 cycle, look for candidates who align with the "Cheney wing" vs the "Trump wing." These races will tell you more about the country's direction than any national poll.
Pay attention to the legal maneuvers. The talk of "military tribunals" or "retribution" isn't just talk—it's a legal philosophy that some in the current administration are taking seriously. Monitoring how the Department of Justice handles past critics will be key.
Don't expect a reconciliation. Some political feuds eventually end with a handshake. This one won't. It's too personal and too fundamental. We are watching a total divorce within the Republican family, and the assets are still being divided.